1. Field
This invention pertains to tennis scoring systems. In particular, it pertains to an improved tennis scoring system using dual purpose flipping cards showing either game counts or alternatively tie break scores, which includes a mounting bracket with ring separator placeholder to maintain accurate positioning as the cards are flipped, an indicator showing when the dual purpose cards reflect tie break scoring, and coding indicating the players associated with the scores displayed by the flipping cards.
2. State of the Art
Various tennis scoring systems are known. Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,127 issued Jun. 25, 1963 uses double rings to suspend flipping score cards and a player board, but does not include a card placement holder to prevent the cards from over rotating giving the wrong score. Posey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,874 issued Jul. 19, 1994 discloses a portable tennis score keeper with a plurality of score cards suspended from a single ring, which also fails to include a placement holder. Niksich, U.S. Des. Pat. No. D418, 431 issued Jan. 4, 2000 uses double rings to suspend flipping score cards with a different player board design than Wilson, but also fails to include a placement holder. Further, these card flipping systems only track the games won, and are not capable of tracking the points won in overtime matches.
Alkire et al, U.S. Des. Pat. No. D615, 423 issued May 11, 2010 is a score board post where the score is electronically displayed on a central post, and the player banners are suspended from a T bar.
Nally et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,918 issued May 22, 2001 is a net scoring system using the bottom of a suspended net (volley ball, etc.) and its edges to keeping track of the game score.
Niksich, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,513 issued Jun. 17, 2003 discloses a post with a plurality of scoring holes attached to a net post with 0 to 7 insertable tennis balls to display the tennis game scores. Hierath, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,113 issued Jan. 31, 1996 discloses another tennis score keep and display device using insertable tennis balls on a net post to display the tennis score. Niksich and Hierath also do not track tie break scoring.
Harris et al., U.S. Des. Pat. No. D300, 435 issued Mar. 28, 1989 discloses an advertising scoreboard for tennis, including a player/advertising display board.
Pettis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,748 issued Jun. 25, 1991 discloses a portable scoring device with a ground penetrating tip and foot brace for driving and anchoring the post scoring section into the ground, which is primarily used to track scores at lawn events.
Stengel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,092 issued Apr. 23, 1969 discloses a tennis game set scoreboard with rolling disc displays.
Thater, U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,956 issued May 23, 1989 discloses a portable fabric tennis scoring device, which hangs from a tennis net post and is rolled up when not in use. Scoring is done with paddle shaped markers removably held in pockets in the fabric.
Zarley et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,504 issued Dec. 15, 1987 is an example of various tennis racket scoring devices affixed to the racket.
These card scoring systems do not include a placeholder or an indicator showing that the cards can be used to reflect tiebreak play scoring. Without a placeholder, the cards can be incorrectly flipped requiring the scoring to be reconstructed from memory for the entire game. Conversely, applicant's scoring apparatus described below maintains the cards in position through the last recorded point, and in the event of a tiebreak, the flip cards can be used alternatively to track individual game points.